This application discloses an air intake manifold with an air flow control valve assembly.
Typically, air enters an intake manifold through a throttle body. Typically, the throttle body includes one throttle valve that regulates the intake of air into the intake manifold. Once air is in the intake manifold, the air flows through a plurality of air passages or runners. Only the shapes of internal surfaces of the intake manifold control air flowing through the air passages. Typically, air mixes with fuel and is injected into a combustion chamber of the engine. The specific way in which air flows through an intake manifold and into the combustion chamber directly affects how efficient the engine will run. For these reasons the interior surfaces of the intake manifold are designed to promote efficient airflow through the intake manifold and to each individual cylinder. However, differing engine operating conditions may require different airflow characteristics, so a balance of air flow requirements for each engine speed is made, thereby, sacrificing optimal performance at all engine operating conditions.
Further, emission standards for vehicles are becoming increasingly demanding. One of the more demanding of the emission standards pertains to the initial start up of the engine in a cold environment. The engine upon initial start up and idle conditions typically exhibits the most inefficient and incomplete combustion of the air fuel mixture. Incomplete combustion of the air fuel mixture increases the amount of measurable emissions from a vehicle.
For these reasons it is desirable and necessary to provide a device that can direct and condition the flow of air through an intake manifold and into the combustion chamber to account for variable engine operations settings and to promote efficient combustion of the air fuel mixture at low engine operating conditions.
The subject invention is an intake manifold assembly with an integral air flow control valve assembly.
The intake manifold assembly includes a plurality of air intake passages through which air flows to combustion chambers of the engine. The air flow control valve assembly is mounted within the intake manifold between the intake manifold and the engine. The air flow control valve assembly includes a plurality of valve plates to direct air flowing through each of the air intake passages. The valve plates are disposed within the air intake passages and are mounted to a common shaft for rotation about an axis. An actuator controlled by an engine electronic control unit rotates the shaft and the valve plates rotate between an open position and a closed position. Each of the valve plates includes an opening that allows the flow of air through the air intake valve when the valve plate is in the closed position. The opening is configured in such a manner to direct the flow of air through the air intake passage. The directed air flow promotes efficient combustion of the air fuel mixture at low engine speeds. Further, the valve plates are rotated to the open position at higher engine speeds that require different air flow direction.
The subject invention overcomes the problems of prior art intake manifolds and promotes efficient combustion by providing a plurality of valve plates within the intake manifold to direct the flow of air into each combustion chamber. Further, the subject invention provides for the variable positioning of the valve plates to accommodate the air directing and conditioning requirements at various engine operating conditions.